Review by Shannon Shumaker
Don’t let the beginning of Seaway’s new album Colour Blind fool you. While “Slam,” may open the album rather slow and quiet, it isn’t long before it’s exploding into high energy, singalong worthy choruses and a sound that is totally Seaway. When “Slam” comes together and explodes with the strong line, “Everything is cool man,” it’s a promise to keep old fans pleased and new listeners interested in this release. The first two songs on Colour Blind feel like anthems, and the upbeat energy and catchy tunes never falter throughout the rest of the album.
The great thing about Colour Blind is that it doesn’t feel like Seaway are trying to be anything they’re not. There really isn’t a down moment on Colour Blind, and they just keep chugging forward. But that doesn’t mean that every single song sounds the same. While some tracks may sound similar because of their upbeat nature, they also host little quirks that make them stand apart. Just about every song hosts something that makes it special alongside catchy singalong choruses. For instance, “Trick” stands out because of its strong bass work. The following song, “Freak” is bound to become an anthem with the catchy chorus of, “Maybe I’m a freak/And nobody knows my name.” This song is big and memorable and a track that will hit home with many listeners.
“Stubborn Love” is a really great standout track due to the heavy emotional content of the lyrics. While it still feels just as big (if not bigger) than the songs that come before it, it really hits home emotionally. You can really feel the longing in this song, especially in Ryan Locke’s vocals. “Airhead” is another strong track because of the energy behind the vocals, which are a high point. The lyrics in “Airhead” are also strong, especially the line in the chorus of, “Sometimes I can be a fucking airhead/So tie me to your fingertip so I don’t float away.”
Easily the high point toward the end of the album, though, comes the lyrics of “Growing Stale.” Fans of Seaway will recognize the line and melody of, “Don’t you go crying now,” from their song, “Your Best Friend.” The little nod at their old music shows that Seaway haven’t forgotten who they are, and the other songs on Colour Blind just back that up.
Colour Blind may not be a game changer, and Seaway may not be taking any huge risks with this album, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t full of plenty of catchy, relatable and well written songs. Seaway know what they’re good at, and merely expand on it with this release. The lyricism throughout the entire album is stellar and each song is packed with smart songwriting and catchy choruses, which fans are sure to be singing along to for a long time to come.
Rating 4/5
Listen to “Freak” or “Growing Stale”
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